- Glyptostrobus
Taxobox
name = "Glyptostrobus"
image_caption = "Glyptostrobus pensilis"
status = EN | status_system = IUCN3.1
trend = down
regnum =Plant ae
divisio =Pinophyta
classis = Pinopsida
ordo =Pinales
familia =Cupressaceae
genus = "Glyptostrobus"
species = "G. pensilis"
binomial = "Glyptostrobus pensilis"
binomial_authority = (Staunton) K. Koch"Glyptostrobus pensilis", also known as Chinese Swamp Cypress, is the sole living species in the genus "Glyptostrobus". It is native to subtropical southeastern
China , fromFujian west to southeastYunnan , and also very locally in southernVietnam .It is a medium-sized to large
tree , reaching 30 m tall and with a trunk diameter of up to 1 m, possibly more. The leaves aredeciduous , spirally arranged but twisted at the base to lie in two horizontal ranks, 5-20 mm long and 1-2 mm broad, but 2-3 mm long and scale-like on shoots in the upper crown. The cones are green maturing yellow-brown,pear -shaped, 2-3 cm long and 1-1.5 cm diameter, broadest near the apex. They open when mature to release the small, 5-6 mm long, wingedseed s.It typically grows in
river banks,pond s andswamp s, growing in water up to 60 cm deep. Like the related genus "Taxodium ", it produces 'cypress knee s' when growing in water, thought to help transportoxygen to theroot s.The species is nearly
extinct in the wild due to overcutting for its valuable decay-resistant, scentedwood , but it is also fairly widely planted along the banks ofrice paddies where its roots help to stabilise the banks by reducing soilerosion .The genus once had a much wider range, covering most of the
Northern Hemisphere , including the high Arctic in thePaleocene . The oldest knownfossil s are lateCretaceous in age, found inNorth America . It contributed greatly to the coal swamps of theCenozoic era. It was reduced to its current range before and during theice age s.References
* Database entry includes justification for why this species is endangered
External links
* [http://www.conifers.org/cu/gl/index.htm Gymnosperm Database: "Glyptostrobus"]
* [http://www.pinetum.org/cones/GSpensilis.jpgArboretum de Villardebelle: photo of cone]
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